Splash shield closing means for acetylene generators



Dec. 5, 1950 c M JOHNSON 2,533,117

SPLASH 'SHI'ELD CLOSING MEANS FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS Filed June 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EIZQLL W 7 awe/WM C'HARI. as Mt c wnsolv,

Dec, 5, 1950 c. M. JOHNSON 2,533,117

SPLASH SHIELD CLOSING MEANS FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS Filed June 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F T 'W' awe/Wham Patented Dec. 5, 1950 sPLASH SHIELD CLOSING MEANS FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS Charles M. Johnson, Lubbock, Tex., assignor to R. C. Johnson, Jr., Lubbock, Tex.

ApplicationJune 9, 1948, Serial No. 31,868

This invention relates to acetylene generators and more particularly to a carbide feed, splash shield and to means for closing the same in portable acetylene generators of the carbide to water type.

In its usual form, a generator of the above type comprises essentially'a closed chamber consisting of a lower tank for water, an upper hopper for carbide and a carbide feed valve which is responsive to pressure of gas generated in the chamber to open and close communication between the hopper and the tank and feed carbide into water in amounts to maintain a desired preset pressure in the generator. In addition to the feed valve the generator is also provided with a safety valve which is set to open at a pressure slightly above that which the feed valve is set to maintain.

When carbide is wet'it is converted into acetylene gas and lime. In normal operation of the generator the lime settles in the water tank but considerable difiiculty is encountered, particularly in portable generators, by moisture forming a lime deposit about the hopper mouth which in time will restrict or completely clog the hopper mouth unless removed. To minimize moisture reaching the hopper mouth and feed valve, a splash shield or drip ring is provided in the form of a tube of larger diameter than the hopper mouth, surrounding the mouth and depending therefrom. In one of its forms, as described in Patent 1,857,456, granted May 10, 1932 to Herbert G. Irwin, this splash shield comprises a tube of rubber or similar flexible material with manually operated clamping mechanism for squeezing the tube laterally and closin communication between the water tank and hopper mouth when the generator is moved.-

As stated above, the safety valve is set to open and relieve pressure in the generator should the generated gas pressure exceed that controlled by the carbide feed valve. This safety valve vents the inflammable gas into the atmosphere and it is one of the objects of thisinvention to provide a splash shield for acetylene generators with pressure responsive mechanism to constrict the same and close communication between the carbide hopper and water tank should the generated gas pressure exceed that set by the carbide feed valve but prior to a pressure suflicient toopen the safety valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a splash shield with automatically closing means of the above character and incorporating also manual means of closing the same independently of the automatic means.

7'ClaimS. (Cl. 48-533) A further object of the invention is to provide a splash shield with the closing device normally urged to shield closing position but latched in open position by mechanism which includes a diaphragm responsive to a predetermined internal gas pressure in the generator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which is simple in construction and positive and efficient in operation.

With the above and other important objects and. advantages in View the invention consists in the parts and combinations hereinafter set forth with the understanding that various changes may be made therein, such as in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts, by those skilled in the art, without departin from the spirit of the in- Vention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood a preferred embodiment thereof has been made the subject of illustration in the accompanyin-g drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view partly in section and partly broken away of an acetylene generator incorporating a splash shield and 0105-, ing mechanism therefor in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 2 is a, side elevational View partly broken away and partly in section of the apparatus shown in Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawings there is shown an. acetylene generator I of the carbide to water type comprising a'water tank 2 having an upwardly extending conical top 3 which terminates in a flanged ring 4. Removably secured to the ring 4, such as by bolts 5, is a flanged ring 6 surroundin and rigidly secured to a carbide hopper I which has a closed top 8 and a downwardly extending conical bottom 9 which projects into the top of the water tank 2. A gasket I0 is provided between the flanges of the rings 3 and 5 to provide a gas-tight seal between the hopper and the water tank so that the head space of the water tank forms a closed gas chamber II.

The lower end of the hopper bottom 9 forms a discharge mouth for carbide and is provided with a feed valve which is not shown but which may be of usual construction such, for example, as disclosed in the H. G, Irwin Patent 1,797,264 granted March 24, 1931. This valve is actuated in response to generated gas pressure to open the hopper mouth when the pressure is below a predetermined minimum to feed carbide into the water in the tank 2, and to close the hopper mouth when the pressure reaches a predetermined maximum to shut on the flow or carbide. Gas is withdrawn from the generator for use in usual manner, and a safety valve 52 is provided on the water tank to relieve pressure in the gas chamber should such pressure exceed limits above which the generator is designed, for example, fifteen pounds.

Generators of the class to which this invention pertains are designed for portable use where moving from one location to another creates the problem of preventing water splashing on the mouth of the carbide hopper and feed valve and clogging the carbide passage by lime deposit. To prevent this there is provided a splash shield of the type generally disclosed by the ILG. Irwin Patent 1,857,456 granted May 10, 1932. This splash shield consists of a length of flexible, cylindrical tube i l, such as rubber, of substantially larger diameter than the mouth of the hopper l and surrounding the mouth and depending therefrom into the upper part of the water tank 2. The tube is is suspended from a cylindrical collar 5 welded to the conical bottom of the hopper and has a liquid tight connection therewith such as by means of a clamp ring i5 Tube hi depends axially from the hopper month and serves as a passageway for carbide fa-llingirom the hopper into the water tank. The tube i4 serves also, by clamping it laterally, to close off communication between the hopper and the water tank both to prevent water reaching the hopper mouth when the generator is moved and also to block off flow of carbide into the water tank should the carbide feed valve fail to function properlyso that the gas pressure would rise above that determined by the feed valve actuator, but less than that which would open the safety valve 12.

To accomplish the above there is provided a clamping device designated generally as I? and comprising a pair ,of jaw members It and I9 which may be made of metal rods bent into a rectangular shape. The upper transverse bar portions 28 or" each of the jaw members are pivotal-1y lournalled respectively in opposite ends of a pair of parallel vertical plates 2! rigidly secured to the conical bottom 29 of the carbide hopper at opposite sides of the tube Id. The lower bar portions 22 of each of the jaw members .18 and 19 are attached respectively to opposite sides of the tube is, adjacent its lower end, such as by sheet metal eye pieces 23.

The side portions of the jaw member have rigidly secured respectively thereto a right angularly extending rod 24 the free end of which is 1 formed into a somewhat elongated eye 25 which is curved upwardly as shown in Figure 2. The upper bars of the jaw members 19 have rigidly secured thereto respectively, a pair of rods 2% which are disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the jaw member and have their free ends passing respectively through the eyes 25. Surrounding each of the rods 26, between the eyes and the jaw member 19 is a compression sprin 27. It will be noted that the rod all makes an upward angle with the rod 26 so that the springs 2? tend to decrease the angle and urge the lower ends of the jaw members together to laterally compress the lower end of the tube M and close the end of the tube.

In normal use of the generator, that is, when generating acetylene, the clamp ll is held open and the tube I4 is open to permit passage of carbide from the hopper 7 into the tank 2. To this end, the lower bar of the jaw member 18 extension :39. chamber All between the diaphragm and a spring a. This, as described above,

has rigidly secured thereto an eye 28 which holds one end of a connection rod 29. The opposite end of the rod 29 is pivotally secured to a pin 30 attached eccentrically to a circular disk 3| which is centrally secured to one end of a rod 32 journalled for rotary and axial movement in a tube 33. The inner end of the tube 33 is rigidly secured within the tank 72 such as by means of a bracket 34 and extends through the conical wall 3 and is sealed thereto such as by welding. The

rod 32 passes through a packing gland 35 at the outer end of the tube 33 and has its end bent at an angle to provide a handle 36.

The inner end of the tube 33 is rigidly connected with a diaphragm casing 31 by means of a U-shaped bracket 38. The diaphragm casing 31 has a tubular extension 39 which passes through and is welded to the conical wall 3 of the water tank. A compression spring fill, positioned about the rod 32 between the disk .31 and the end of the tube t3, urges the disk 3| into engagement with the inner end of the diaphragm casing '31.

The casing 31 contains a flexible diaphragm 44 which divides the casing into a chamber 42, com.-

., municating with the gas chamber ll through an opening 43 in the casing, and achamber dl, which communicates with the atmosphere through the A compression spring .4 5 in the seat member to urges the diaphragm toward the disks! against the pressure of gas in the chamber l l acting on the opposite face of the diaphragm. The seat member 55 is screw-threaded into the casing extension 39 for the purpose of adjusting the compressive force of the spring 45.. It will be seen therefore that when the adjusted force of the spring exceeds the opposed tor-cc of pressure of gas in the chamber ll the diaphragm will be forced toward the disk 4|, and when the gas pressure exceeds that of the spring the ,diar sm i be m ed w a e t e di k.-

Secu d to e n r c th d aphr m H is a plunger M which extends through ,a bearing 48 in the casing .31. In the n d position of the r a hra t h f descr ees th pl r is et e wi -in he asin bu when the diaphragm is flexed to the right, the lun is projected f t e -a i in ition to enter an eccentric aperture 4,9 the dis}; e h c am W is era; to ho d r laws th clamp in open position against the force; of springs 2?. An enlargement of the plunger 4! engages the bearing 43 in the projected position thereof to limit the projectedposition substantially to the thickness of the disk. 3|.

In operation the spring seat 5 3 is adjusted so that the force of the spring will ,be overcome by pressure of gas in the chamber ii at ,a pressure slightly below that necessary to open the safety valve l2, For example, if the .saie'y yalve were set to open at a fifteen pound press of gas the spring 45 would be adjusted so that its force on the diaphragm Al would be overcome by a fourteen pound pressure the geneliator.

es t e i .7 we-v from the di k it an. 4 th as es-- sure is below fourteen pounds t esp-rin 4, m0 i the plunger 4? toward the 411L835 35 the g H i closed, i i e ed r tin the we 32 by means of the handle 3% which rotates the disk 3! spreading the jaws It a d the nn tin o 2 and the se men of the rods 24 a d When a r a hed its fullopen position, the d sk ,3;l will to a position where the aperture gill registers w h 'aseau z' the plunger 41 and if the gas pressure is less than the specified fourteen pounds, the plunger 4! Will enter the aperture 49 and hold the disk in this position.

The generator now operates in the usual manner by feeding carbide from the hopper i into water in the tank 2. When the carbide enters the water gas will be generated until it reaches a pressure governed by the carbide feed mechanism. As long as the generator functions normally the spring 45 will hold the diaphragm to the right and the plunger 41 will key the clamp I? in its open position. Should, however, the gas pressure in the chamber H exceed the force of the spring 45, its action on the diaphragm 4| flexes the diaphragm to the left and retracts the plunger 4'! from the disk 3! allowing the springs 21 to exert their force to close the clamp I1 and compress laterally the lower end of the tube M and close communication between the If the generator is to be moved from one cation to another when danger of water splashing onto the mouth of the carbide hopper would be present, the clamp il may be closed manually by moving the rod 32 and the disk 35 away from the end of the plunger ll against the compression of the spring 4? When thus pulled outwardly, the disk ll is free to rotate and the springs 27 will close the clamp.

In the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides means for automatically closing communication between the hopper and the water tank of an acetylene generator and shut off the flow of carbide should the pressure of generated gas exceed a normal operating pressure but by an amount less than would open the safety valve of the generator. In addition, the invention provides manual means, independent of the automatic means, for closing off the mouth of the carbide hopper to prevent access of water thereto when the generator is to be moved.

I claim:

1. In an acetylene generator of the class described including a water tank, a carbide hopper carried thereby, and means including a flexible v tubular splash shield forming a carbide passage between the hopper to the tank, the improvement comprising clamp means for the shield biased toward a closed position for constricting said shield to close said passage, means accessible externally of the generator for opening the clamp means, latch means including an element movable with the clamp means between open and closed positions thereof and a plunger member engageable with said element in open position of the clamp to hold the same open, spring means urging the plunger in a direction to engage said element, and a flexible diaphragm carried by the plunger and responsive to pressure of gas in the generator to release said engagement and allow the clamp means to close.

2. In an acetylene generator of the class described including a water tank, a carbide hopper carried thereby, and means including a flexible tubular splash shield forming a carbide passage 6 between the hopper to the tank, the improvement comprising clamp means for the shield biased toward a closed position for constricting said shield to close said passage, means accessible externally of the generator for opening the clamp means, latch means including an element movable with the clamp means between open and closed positions thereof and a plunger-member engageablewith said element in open position of the clamp to hold the same open, spring means urging the plunger in a direction to engage said element, a flexible diaphragm carried by the plunger and responsive to pressure of gas in the generator to release said engagement and allow the clamp means to close, and means for regulating the force of said spring means.

3. In an acetylene generator of the class described including a water tank, a carbide hopper carried thereby, means including a flexible tubular splash shield forming a carbide passage between the hopper to the tank, the improvement comprising clamp means for the shield biased toward a closed position for constricting "said shield to close said passage, latch means including an element movable with the clamp means between open and closed positions thereof and a plunger member engageable with said element in open position of the clamp to hold the same open, spring means urging the plunger .in a direction to engage said element, a flexible diaphragm carried by the plunger and responsive to pressure of gas in the generator to release said engagement and allow the clamp means to close, and a manually operable member accessible exteriorly of the generator and having a connection with said element to move the same relatively to said plunger to release said engagement independently of the operation of said diaphragm.

4. In an acetylene generator of the class described including a water tank, a carbide hopper carried thereby and forming therewith a gas chamber, means includin a flexible tubular splash shield forming carbide passage between 1 the hopper and tank, and safety valve means spring loaded to open at a pressure of gas in the chamber in excess of a predetermined normal operating pressure, the improvement comprising clamp means for the shield biased toward a closed position for constricting said shield to close said passage, means accessible externally of the generator for opening the clamp means, latch means including an element movable with the clamp means between open and closed positions thereof and a, plunger member engageable with said element in open position of the clamp to hold the same open, spring means urging the plunger in a direction to engage said element, a flexible diaphragm carried bythe plunger and responsive to a gas pressure in the generator to move the plunger in an opposite direction to release said engagement and allow the clamp to close, and means for adjusting the loading of said spring relatively to the loading of said safety valve.

5. In an acetylene generator of the class described including a water tank, a carbide hopper carried thereby, and means including a flexible tubular splash shield forming a carbide passage between the hopper to the tank, the improvement comprising clamp means for the shield biased toward a closed position for constricting said shield to close said passage, manually operable means including a rod accessible exteriorly of thegenerator journalled thereinfor rotarymovement, an element carried by, the rod for move ment: therewith and having a connection with the clamp means to open the same, a reciprocable plunger, spring means urging the plunger in a direction toward said element, said element hav ing a detent aperture engageablewith theplunger in open position of the clamp to restrain move ment thereof, and a flexible diaphragm carried by the plunger and responsive to pressure in the generator opposed to the force of said spring to release the plunger from said aperture when said pressure exceeds the force ofsaid spring to allow said clamp to close.

6. In an acetylenergenerator oi h cla s, de-

scribed including a water tank, a,carbi de hopper carried thereby, and means including a flexible tubular splash shield forminga. carbide passage between the hopper to the tank, thehimprovement comprising clamp means for the shield biased toward a closed position for constricting said shield to close said passage, manually, operable means including a rod, accessible exteriorly of the generator journalled therein for rotary. move-- ment, an element carried by the, rod for movement therewith and having connection with the clamp means to open thesame, a reciprocable plunger, spring means urging the plunger in; a direction toward said element, saidi element having a detent aperture engageable withthe plunger in open position of the clampto restrain movement thereof, a flexible diaphragmv carried by the plunger and responsive to pressure in the generator opposed to; the force-oi said, spring; to release the plunger: from said aperture when said pressure exceeds the force of; said sprin to, allow said clamp to close, and meansfor' adjusting the force of; said spring.

7. In an acetylene generator; of the class dc,- scribed including a water tank, a carbide; hopper carried thereby, and meansincluding a flexible tubular splash shield forming a carbide, passa e between the hopper to the tank, the improvement comprising clamp means for the shield biased toward a closed position for constricting said shield to close said, passage, manually operable means including a rod accessibleexteriorly oi the generator and journalled therein for rotary movement, an element carried by, the rod for move-, ment therewith and having a connection with the clamp means to open the same, a reciprocable plunger, spring means urging the plunger in a direction toward said element, said element'having a detent aperture engageable with the plunger in open position ofthe clamp to restrain movement thereof, and a flexible diaphragm carried by the plunger and responsive to pressure in the generator opposed to the force of said spring to release the plunger from said aperture when said pressure exceeds the force of said spring to allow said clamp to close, and means for adjusting the force of said spring, said rod being capable also of axial movement manually to move said element relatively to said plunger to release the engagement therebetween and allow said clamp to close.

CHAS. M. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,857,456v Irwin May 10, 1932 2,264,281 De Motte Dec. 2, 1941 

